Salt dispenser



y 2, 1956 G. s. CASSIMUS 2,746,653

SALT DISPENSER Filed Jan. 6, 1954 gill lllll-ll' llll George S Cass/mus 1N! ENTOR.

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United States Patent SALT DISPENSER George S. Cassimus, Birmingham, Ala.

Application January 6, 1954, Serial No. 402,515

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-500) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in salt dispensers or shakers and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character which will instantly and automatically open and close when lifted from a table or other support and replaced thereon, thereby protecting the salt against dampness as well as promoting sanitation.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide an automatically opening and closing salt dispenser or shaker of the aforementioned character which, when necessary, may be expeditiously taken apart for refilling, cleaning or for other purposes.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a salt dispenser of the character set forth which will be comparatively simple in construction, durable, compact, attractive in appearance and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a salt dispenser constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section through the device;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 2 but showing the dispenser closed; and

Figure 4 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a substantially cylindrical container 5 of suitable material, preferably plastic, said container including an integral base 6. The container 5, which is for the reception of the salt, may be of any desired capacity.

The top of the container 5 is open and has mounted therein a removable closure plug 7. The closure 7 which is also of a suitable plastic, includes an integral upstanding neck 8 having a discharge port or opening 9 therein at an intermediate point. Fixed in the neck 8 above the port 9 and adjacent thereto is a closure disc 10.

Mounted for vertical sliding movement on the neck 8 is a plastic cap 11. The cap 11 includes a substantially umbrella-like top portion 12 beneath which said cap is provided with a plurality of air vents 13.

The cap 11 further includes, on its lower end, an integral, external flange 14 which rests on the closure 7 when said cap is in lowered or open position as seen in Figure 2 of the drawing. The cap 11 has formed therein an inwardly tapered, substantially oval or eye-shaped opening 15 for registry with the port 9.

The closure 7 includes on its upper portion a peripheral flange 16 which overlies the top of the container 5. The cylindrical container 5 comprises a relatively thick wall portion 17 (see Figure 4) having formed therein a vertical 2,745,653 Patented May 22, 1956 bore 18 which is open atboth ends. Then, the flange 16 of the closure 7 has formed therein an opening 19 which is aligned with the bore 18. The aligned bores or openings 18 and 19 slidably accommodate an operating rod 20 for the cap 11.

In the embodiment shown, the upper end portion of the rod 20 is anchored in the flange 14 of the cap 11. The rod 20, when the cap 11 is in lowered or open position, projects below the base 6 of the container 5 and has threaded thereon a nut 21. A coil spring 22 is mounted on the rod 20 between the bottom 23 of the container 5 and the nut 21 for yieldingly urging said rod downwardly.

It is thought that the operation of the dispenser will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, when the container 5 is resting on a table or other supporting surface, as at 24, the weight of the dispenser and its content is suflicient to retain the rod 20 in its upper position against the tension of the coil spring 22. Thus, the cap 11 is supported in its raised or closed position with the opening 15 out of registry with the port 9, as seen in Figure 3 of the drawing. It will thus be seen that the container 5 is closed and sealed against the entrance of moisture, dirt, etc., when the dispenser is not being used. However, when the container 5 is lifted from the table 24, the coil spring 22, through the rod 20 and with the assistance of gravity, moves the cap 11 downwardly on the neck 8 to the position of Figure 2 of the drawing for aligning the opening 15 with the discharge port 9. The salt may now be dispensed from the container 5 in an obvious manner. The tapered opening 15 is sufficiently larger than the port 9 to prevent the salt from clinging and to insure free pouring thereof at all times. Further, it is to be noted that the construction and arrangement is such that the salt can never contact and interfere with the free operation of the moving parts of the device, such as the rod 20, etc., this constituting a highly important and desirable feature of the invention. To refill or clean the container 5, the nut 21 and the coil spring 22 are removed from the rod 20, after which the assembly comprising the closure 7 and the cap 11 may be removed from the container 5. Also, the cap 11 may now be removed from the closure 7. The vents 13 prevent the cap 11 from becoming air bound.

It is believed that the many advantages of a salt dispenser or shaker constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed. For instance, the dispenser may, if desired, comprise two or more circumferentially spaced ports 9 and openings 15, at least one of which will always be in position for dispensing the salt regardless of the position of the container 5 when it is lifted and inverted or tilted.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A salt dispenser comprising: a substantially cylindrical container for the reception of salt, a removable closure plug slidably inserted in the upper portion of said container, said plug including a peripheral flange overlying the container and engaged thereon, said flange and said container having aligned vertical bores therein, a neck rising from the closure plug and communicating with the container for receiving salt therefrom, said neck having a radial discharge port therein at an intermediate point, a closure disc in the neck above the discharge port, a cap mounted for vertical sliding movement on the neck and having a radial opening therein for registry with the discharge port, an external flange on the lower end of the cap adapted to rest on the closure plug, a rod slidable in the aligned bores and having one end anchored in the References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Webster Mar. 26, 1907 Cohencius May 19, 1908 McCreery Nov. 2, 1909 Zaar Feb. 23, 1915 Harralson May 23, 1916 Hammerstein June 3, 1930 Schwartz June 17, 1952 

